Chapter 12
Chapter 12:The House In The Forest Of Despair Ventus and Keegan apparated to a small pond surrounded by a large forest.It seemed endless.Keegan looked around and stared at the never-ending trees and listened to the animal sounds.He looked down at the water,practically seeing his own reflection.He smiled and giggled then looked back at Ventus who was setting up a tent.He stared,confused and dazed about where he got the tent. "Hey,uh...Ventus?"He said,confused. "Yeah?" "Where,uh...exactly did you get a tent?I'm pretty sure you didn't just pull that out of your bag."Keegan said,laughing. "I did."Ventus said.Keegan stopped laughing and looked at Ventus' backpack. "How did you fit it with your other stuff?!Yet alone,how did you fit it in that small backpack?!"Keegan asked,so confused. "Remember,I put an Undetectable Extension Charm on our backpacks.I make sure we are prepared for whatever happens.And pretty fast thinking too...Hmm..."Ventus wondered to himself.How was he so intelligent?And how was he so fast at thinking? "Your practically a 'Borderline Genius',you know that?"Keegan said with a smirk.He then spotted a house above Ventus.He looked at the house,at the tent,back at the house,and at Ventus. "And besides,we aren't staying in the tent...hopefully.We are staying in that house up on that hill."Ventus said,much to Keegan's surprise. "You read my mind..."Keegan said,more confused than ever.Ventus finally finished setting up the tent.He and Keegan then walked up the hill to the house.The house looked as endless as the forest did.It seemed like a Skyscraper to Keegan.His mouth started to drop until he caught himself.The house looked beat up and burned on the outside.It had a few boards of wood missing here and there and had bricks to cover their place. "How exactly do you know of this place,Ventus?"Keegan asked,looking at the towering house. "When me.Luna.and Lorcan came here after i got an award for my O.W.L.S. Outstanding's --" "Must you bring that up?"Keegan gloomingly interrupted. "Me and Lorcan found this house.We searched it and found it was abandoned.We often came here for battling.As you can see,the house took a bit of abuse from it.I thought this would be a good place to stay for awhile."Ventus explained. "I see.But why the tent?"Keegan asked. "To distract and trick any New Death Eaters.By seeing the tent,they will think it is us in there.Or anyone else on the run."Ventus said.Keegan stared at him with a smirk. "Don't you think that them finding an empty tent but seeing a house right here will be the slightest bit suspicious to them?"Keegan said with a smirk. "That's why i have protective spells i'm going to place on the house.As far as they will be concerned,the house doesn't exist.Remember,i want to be in the Invisibility Task Force.It's important I learn how to shield a small,simple thing such as a house."Ventus said. "A...small...simple thing?"Keegan muttered under his breath.Keegan then heard a sound of someone apparating.He drew his wand and looked around.Ventus heard it too and twirled around to see Keegan with his wand drawn. "Did...did you here that,Ventus?"Keegan whispered. "Yeah.Toss me your wand so i can do the enchantments."Ventus ordered.Keegan spun around and threw his wand at Ventus.Ventus aimed the wand at virtually nothing and took a deep breath. "Protego Totalum."He said,casting the first spell.He again,took a deep breath. "Salvio Hexia."He said,casting the second spell.Keegan looked and saw Ventus' hand shaking a little.A tear slowly fell from Ventus' face.He closed his eyes for the longest time.Keegan looked around and saw two shadows walking towards them.He started to panic.Ventus then opend his eyes.His black eye glowed yellow. "Muffliato."He said,casting the third and final spell.He took another deep breath and relaxed.His eye returned to the black color.He walked over to Keegan,who was having a panic attack.He put the wand on the back of Keegan's neck and flicked it.It shot a spell that hit Keegan and knocked him out.Ventus looked up and saw two people looking at the campsite.He started to eavesdrop on the two people talking. "There aren't here."One peron said,walking out of the tent. "We need to find them,Albus."The other said. "Albus?...It couldn't be..."Ventus whispered. "But dad...What if they are already dead?What then?"Albus said. "I knew it.That's Harry and Albus Potter."Ventus thought to himself. "Then your mother will be mad.And where is your wand?"Harry asked.Ventus looked closely at Albus.He then walked out of the barrier and got close enough to examine Albus from behind a bush. "I...uh...Lost it..."Albus said.Ventus looked puzzled at Albus.He then stared closely at him. "Your not acting yourself,Albus.Why?"He whispered. "You lost it?That's it?Did that big-headed Scorpius take it again?I swear that boy wishes to be punished by Draco."Harry said. "No.He didn't.I just lost it."Albus said.Ventus looked away and thought for a second.He then looked back at Harry and Albus. "Then...Just use mine for now.But if your break it or lose it,i swear your mother will use her Hex on you like she as with James."Harry said.Ventus' eyes then widened.Albus,looking down and holding Harry's wand,had an evil smile.Ventus looked closely and saw Albus' eyes glowing green.He was under the Imperious Curse right under Harry's nose and Harry didn't even know. "Albus?...Albus?"Harry called for his son.Albus looked up. "Thanks dad.I'll take care of it."Albus said.Harry looked at his son suspiciously and shook his head.Albus then looked over at the bush Ventus' was hiding behind.Ventus stiffened,his eyes wide,holding his breath.Albus made that evil smile again.Harry then grabbed his arm and the disapparated,much to Ventus' relief.He let lose his breath and sighed.He stood up and walked to the house.He flicked his wand and a hole in the shield opened.He walked through and the hole closed. "Keegan,wake up."He said.Keegan's eyes rolled and he woke up.He shook his head and looked up at Ventus. "What...happened?"Keegan said,rubbing his neck and twitching. "A lot.I'll tell you later.Right now,lets get inside.Ventus helped Keegan up and they walked to the house. Chapter 13:A New Enemy It soon got dark in the forest.Keegan lit the fireplace in the house and he and Ventus sat at it.Ventus satred at the fire with the need to move it,alter it.Do something to it.He reached in his backpack and started to pull out his wand.He then stopped,stared at the wand,and dropped it.Keegan looked at the wand and back at Ventus. "You want to use it."Keegan said. "Yeah.It feels wrong not using it.I feel a compulsive need to just...move the fire or do something to it."Ventus said.He stared at the fire.He felt the hot burn on his face.His cheek and part of his lip then started to catch flame.He still didn't feel it.Keegan quickly grabbed him and pulled him back and put his face out.Ventus grabbed a towel,wiped his face and sat back on his chair,which Keegan moved back. "Thanks."Ventus said. "You didn't feel the fire?"Keegan asked. "No.I didn't even know.I felt my face burn but i thought it was the fire." "It was the fire...technically."Keegan said.They both looked to the fire.Ventus still felt the need to move it.To shape it into something.Keegan looked at it.It reminded him of his house before it left.The battle that his mom and Lorcan fought it.He shook his head and forgot about it. "I almost forgot.You were going to tell me what happened.I got knocked out."Keegan said.Ventus looked at him.He looked at his eyes sharply.Like he was about to attack.He looked into his bag and pulled out a picture of him,Keegan,and Albus and gave it to Keegan.Keegan stared at it hard. "You remember Albus,right?"Ventus asked,looking down at the picture. "The Gryfinndor?Yeah." "Well those two people we saw where him and his dad."Ventus said,shocking Keegan. "What?What was Albus and Harry doing here?"Keegan asked,looking hard at the picture. "Looking for some people.I'm not sure.But I think Albus was under the Imperious Curse."Ventus said.Keegan looked at Ventus with a pissed off look. "You and you magic smarts.I'm jealous...How do you know?"Keegan asked,looking sharply at Ventus' eyes. "When i saw who they were,i got closer to hear what they were saying.They walked out of the tent and said 'They weren't in here'.Harry said they had to be some place and then questioned Albus about his wand disappearing.At first he thought Scorpius was taking it again but Albus said he wasn't.Harry then lent him his wand which Albus seemed to like alot.He looked at the wand and smiled with the most evil smile."Ventus explained.Keegan looked at him with a suspicious look. "Thats weird and all...but that doesn't mean he was under the Imperious Cur--" "His eyes glowed green,Keegan.Name one other person whose eyes glow a different color other than me.And he turned around and saw me and did that evil smile and left."Ventus interrupted. "Oh...That is suspicious i suppose.But we don't have any proof...yet."Keegan said. "How is th--"Ventus was interrupted by a loud bang coming from outside.It happened again.And again.Constantly.Keegan drew his wand.Ventus decided this was an emergency and drew his wand.Ventus crept to the door,the loud bangs getting louder and louder.He slowly opened the door and peered outside to find someone trying to penetrate the shields.It was Albus.Ventus turned back with an evil stare. "Is that proof enough?"Ventus said.Keegan scratched his head in embarrassment.The bangs suddenly stopped.Ventus looked over at Albus.Albus couldn't see them but they could see him.Albus then disapparated.Ventus then approached the end of the shield. "Keegan.Your wand."Ventus said.Keegan tossed him his wand.Ventus aimed it towards the end of the shield. "Protego Maxima."Ventus said,casting a spell.Keegan stared at the newly formed shield,gazed and confused.Ventus gave him his wand back and put his away.Keegan grabbed Ventus' arm,stopping Ventus. "What's with the new shield?I thought your shield would be strong enough."Keegan said,angrily.Ventus stared at him suspiciously.He then thought to himself and looked back at Keegan. "Let me see your wand for a sec."Ventus said.Keegan just stood there.He looked at Ventus like he was about to kill him.Ventus just stood his ground.He looked at Keegan sharply.Keegan finally reached into his pocket and handed it to Ventus.Ventus held the wand to Keegan's head.He murmured something under his breath.Suddenly,Keegan got a gagging feeling.He fell to the ground and was choking on something.Ventus stood there,suspiciously looking at the gagging Keegan.A black and grey mist then left Keegan's mouth and disappeared into thin air.Keeganand Ventus both looked where the mist disappeared,shocked.Ventus shook his head,gathered his thoughts,and helped Keegan to a couch.Keegan coughed a little more and then stopped.Ventus gripped Keegan's wand tightly,refusing to surrender it.Keegan tried to speak. "Wha...What...Wha--"Ventus looked behind to the fire.He put it out,waited a few minutes,and re-lit it,this time with blue fire.He looked back at Keegan who was slowly falling asleep. "I think someone knew we would be here and put a curse on the fireplace."Ventus said.Keegan then fell asleep.Ventus pulled a blanket from Keegan's bag,threw it over Keegan,and walked to the couch next to Keegan.He stared at the blue flames as they turned to green,listening to the flickering of the flames.He slowly fell asleep as the fire deteriorated to a small yet powerful green flame.